The Ph.D. in Politics is a fully funded five-year program. In some circumstances, students may need up to six years to finish, particularly when their dissertation research requires extensive fieldwork. In these cases, the department and university strive to make resources available.

Students who enrollment in year six are typically move into “Dissertation Completion Enrollment” (DCE) status and are charged DCE tuition and fees each semester (please refer to the Graduate School’s DCE Handbook for more information). Programs and centers that cover a student’s DCE tuition and full or partial stipend in year six can be found across the University.

These include:

University and Graduate School Support

  • The Graduate School awards Honorific Fellowships to exceptional students in their later years of study. Selected students receive an additional year of support (tuition and stipend) that may be used in year six.

  • The Dean’s Completion Fellowship/PGRA Program 

    • This program provides one semester of DCE tuition and full standard stipend funding for selected students. Students who successfully complete their dissertation and Final Public Oral (FPO/defense) before the end of the fellowship semester (January 31, 2026, for fall recipients or May 31, 2026, for spring recipients) will have the opportunity to be appointed as a salaried Postgraduate Research Associate (PGRA). For fall recipients, the PGRA appointment runs through July 31, 2026; for spring recipients, it runs through December 31, 2026.

    • If you receive the Dean's Completion Fellowship but do not defend by the end of your fellowship semester, there is no penalty, and you may continue in DCE status. However, fall recipients will be responsible for securing their own spring-term DCE tuition and living expenses through teaching appointments, RA work, other fellowships, self-pay, or other means.

    • Current fifth-year students who choose to take the Dean's Completion Fellowship in Spring 2026 will be responsible for securing their own fall 2025 DCE tuition and living expenses, as department funding is not available for the fall term when the spring option is selected.

Department Support

Eligibility for Department Support

To be eligible for sixth-year support from the Department, students must be eligible for DCE enrollment (see the Graduate School’s DCE Handbook for more information) and be making satisfactory progress toward completion of the Ph.D. Satisfactory progress is determined by the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) and is based on successful completion of the following milestones:

  • Successful completion of generals and all coursework requirements by the end of the 3rd year. No incompletes can remain beyond August 1st of the third year.

  • Approval of a dissertation prospectus before the end of the sixth term of enrollment to remain in good standing. For this purpose, the end of the term is three weeks after the end of classes (when grades for graduate classes are due).

  • Submission of at least one full draft chapter to the dissertation committee, Department Manager, and the GPA by June 1 of the 4th year.

  • Submission of at least a second full draft chapter to the dissertation committee, Department Manager, and the GPA by December 1 of the 5th year.

Sixth-year Politics support is contingent on departmental and university budgets, which may change over time. We strive to maintain current information on our website and, whenever possible, provide 12 months’ notice regarding changes to support.

Funding expectations for academic years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027:

Option 1: DCE tuition and 100% stipend in fall only

At current 2025-2026 rates, this provides a stipend of $21,465* for one semester. This is the best option for students who expect to complete their dissertation and the FPO in the fall semester. Students who choose this option should not serve as a teaching assistant or “TA” (formerly known as assistant-in-instruction, AI, or preceptor), since the TA salary will replace, rather than supplement, a portion of the stipend.

Option 2: DCE tuition and 50% stipend in fall and spring

At current 2025-2026 rates, this option provides a stipend of $10,732.50* per semester for two semesters. Students who choose this option may also serve as a teaching assistant or “TA” (formerly known as assistant-in-instruction, AI, or preceptor), since the TA salary for up to 3 TA hours will supplement, not replace, their stipend from the department. For example, students who teach 2 TA hours in a semester can expect to receive approximately 83% of their usual stipend for that semester through a combination of stipend and TA salary (50% stipend from the department and 33% TA salary). Sixth-year students may teach courses within or outside Politics and may teach in fall and/or spring. However, the Department does not guarantee the availability of teaching assignments for sixth-year students.

*DCE tuition rate for 2025-2026. Subject to change in subsequent years.

Sixth-year students who have obtained partial support from other sources and who are making satisfactory progress toward completion of the Ph.D. (as defined above) are eligible for “top-up” support from the Department, as long as total support from all sources does not exceed DCE tuition and 100% stipend for two semesters. For example, if a sixth-year student receives a fellowship that provides DCE tuition and a 75% stipend for fall and spring, the Department will provide a 25% stipend for fall and spring. Top-up support from the Department is capped at DCE fees and a 50% stipend for two semesters.  Sixth-year summer support is not available.

Questions regarding financial support in the sixth year should be directed to Kimberly Borden, Senior Manager, Finance and Administration.